ELECTRO-NEGATIVE

adj. E-le2k"tro-ne2g'a!1t-i2v. Fr., electro-negatif. Ger., electronegativ. Po e ed of negative electricity and therefore attracted to the positive pole of a battery (applied to that constituent of a salt which in the proce of electrolysis is evolved at the positive pole). The term is a relative one, for it is po ible to arrange the elements and compound radicles into a series each member of which shall be e.-n. as compared with the one which precedes it and electro-positive to the one which follows. Oxygen and the non-metallic elements in general are e.-n., and so also are acid radicles. [Cooke (B); a, 27.] [s. 673]